Fresh Start
by Lynnlee22
Summary: What would happen if Kelly Cramer met Ronan Malloy in Genoa City?
1. Chapter 1

Starting over was never easy, but a new town—a new start was exactly what she needed. After things ended with Joey for the three hundredth time, she knew she needed to get away, from him…from Llanview, from all of it. She didn't choose Genoa City—it chose her. Sheer exhaustion had caused her to pull over in the small coffee shop parking lot and, although she'd intended to come in, grab a cup to go, and get back on the road; something about the place caught her eye. It might have been the jukebox in the corner.

It might have been the tables scattered about the room. It might have even been the bar with stools littered with college kids, but something about this place reminded her of Rodis. It reminded her of when she was young and happy and carefree…when things weren't so complicated.

As her eyes scanned the patrons, she stalled on the image of a young man seated alone at a table in the corner. It was his eyes mainly—they seemed to silently scream beneath the heavy lids. She walked over to the counter and took a seat. Pulling her bag up beside her, she bumped the elbow of a fellow diner.

"Sorry," Kelly softly responded, handing her a small stack of napkins to wipe up the coffee that had sloshed from the cup.

"It's ok," Chloe remarked, irritated, but trying to remain civil. At least it hadn't been the dress. It could have been the dress.

"Nice dress, Donna Karan?" Kelly smiled as she took a sip from her cup. It was good to know she hadn't landed in the middle of Podunk USA.

Chloe's eyes snapped to attention.

"Yes," she responded, her eyes slightly betraying her surprise.

Kelly glanced down at her appearance for a moment and sighed.

"It's been a long drive," she explained. "I actually do have some fashion sense. I've just been traveling…you know..trying to find some place to land." She smiled back at the stranger before extended her hand, "Kelly Cramer."

"Chloe Mitchell," Chloe responded, shaking hands with a smile. "You said you're looking for somewhere to land…running to something or away from something?"

"Just looking for a new start…new people..new faces." Her mind drifted back to the mysterious man in the corner. She glanced back over her shoulder to make sure he was still there. He was.

"Speaking of new faces," Kelly whispered, leaning in a little closer. "Do you know anything about the guy sitting over in the corner table?"

Chloe turned slightly seeing Ronan sitting there. "Him?" She shook her head. "Trust me…he's trouble." She glanced at her watch.

"Look, I'm sorry, but I've got to go. It was nice meeting you. Maybe if you stick around we can grab lunch or something sometime." Chloe grabbed her cup and purse and moved towards the door.

"I'd like that, "Kelly smiled as she watched Chloe head out the door. Slowly she slid off the bar stool. "Trouble huh," she muttered under her breath. "Maybe a little trouble is exactly what I need."

"Excuse me," Kelly stood at the edge of the table, waiting for the mystery man to acknowledge her presence.

Ronan slowly looked up allowing his eyes to roam over her. "Yeah," he said his voice gruff and seemingly unfriendly.

"Uh, I just thought maybe…since you were alone…and I was alone…that I'd see if you wanted some company." She smiled at him, in an attempt to break the tense mood.

He let out a quick puff of air. "You think I want company?" he asked, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"Well, I don't know," she smiled. "That's what I came over here to find out."

He didn't really want to talk, but it was something about her smile that made her impossible to turn down.

"Suit yourself," he said, bumping the chair from under the table with his leg.

Kelly nodded, taking a seat across the table from him. She'd certainly had friendlier invitations, but there was something about him….something almost haunted.

"I'm Kelly," she said smiling at him. Her green eyes sparkled in the light.

Sighing, he muttered, "Ronan". The smile he received in return for his answer almost made it worthwhile and the feel of her hand in his as she awkwardly reached in for a handshake sent a chill down his spine that he hadn't felt in ages.

"So, Ronan…What's a guy like you doing sitting alone in a place like this?" Kelly had noticed him immediately and she found it hard to believe that every other woman in this town hadn't as well. There had to be a reason.

"Maybe I like my solitude." He didn't really…he just didn't really know how to be any other way. When he was with people, they got hurt and he was tired of the people he loved being hurt. The only way to protect them was to stay away from them…so that's what he was going to do.

Kelly nodded. She recognized it all. The downcast eyes, the somber tone, the angry responses….sure signs of a life that was falling apart.

"Hey," she said softly, "I've been there. I know what it's like to feel like everything in your world is falling to pieces."

"You don't have a clue," Ronan snapped, standing up abruptly from the table. "You hear me?! You don't have any idea. You don't know me! You don't know anything about me! You think you're just gonna walk over here and start to analyze me or something. What is this? Did my mother send you here? Is that it?"

Kelly sat stunned for a moment. She slowly grabbed her purse and stood.

"Look. I'm sorry I disturbed you. It was a mistake. I'm gonna go." She turned without another word and walked out the door.

Ronan stood for a moment trying to regain his composure. How was it possible that he felt so lost without her when she'd been in his life for less than five minutes, yet it was as if she'd taken all the air in the room with her when she left? Without thinking he headed out the door after her.

"Kelly….wait," he called out…happy to see she hadn't left the parking lot yet.

Kelly turned around. "Look, I get it," she said, holding up her hands to placate him. "I don't need a repeat of the verbal lashing you gave me in there. You don't need my help. You don't want my sympathy. I don't know you. I don't know anything about you. Does that about cover it?"

Ronan shook his head, looking down at the ground. "I'm sorry about that. I just kind of lost it. I don't know why. It' s just that my life is….well, lately my life has been…my life…it just…it…it sucks." He smiled as he finally realized that was the most appropriate description he'd come up with lately.

Kelly returned the smile. "Mine too."

"At least we're in good company," Ronan replied, leaning against her car, suddenly drawn to this individual in front of him.

"Listen," Kelly began, a little hesitantly at first, "You may think this is crazy…and if you do, just tell me…it's ok….but I think maybe we could help each other out…you know just talk and laugh a little." She stared into Ronan's eyes, checking for any sort of reaction. At least he wasn't screaming no yet, she reasoned within her mind.

"Maybe we could go out to dinner or something…." She felt her stomach flip over a little as she said the words. Was she nervous? What was she 15? Nervous about asking a boy on a date?

Ronan tried to keep his lips from curving. "Like a date?" he said softly, admittedly torturing her just a bit.

"It doesn't have to be like a date," she said quickly…"It can just be like friends…you know friends going out to talk and hang out."

He reached out to her then, touching her shoulder softly. "Actually," he said, his voice taking on a new tone, this one much more soft and gentle, "I think a date would be nice."

Breathe, she reminded herself, forcing a breath into her lungs. The feel of his warm hand on her skin was almost unbearable and she couldn't understand how someone that hadn't even been in her life an hour ago could suddenly be so important.

"Ok," she managed. "It's a date."

Ronan smiled at her, removing his hand, and reaching into his pocket. "Here's my card. Just call me and let me know when and where and what time I need to pick you up."

"Oh, you don't have to pick me up," she said quickly. "I can meet you somewhere."

"What kind of a guy do you think I am?" he said with a sly smile as he walked away.

Kelly leaned back against the car as she watched him go. She had no idea what kind of guy he was, but she had a funny feeling she was going to enjoy finding out.


	2. Chapter 2

"Thank you," she said with a nod and a smile as she tipped the bellhop and watched him head into the elevator with her bags.

Kelly smiled as she took a seat at the bar of the Genoa City Athletic Club. Surveying her surroundings, she couldn't help but notice the striking similarities it shared with the Palace Hotel back home. Of course, the décor was different, but the feel of it, the clientele…it all seemed strangely familiar.

"Can I get you something?" the bartender asked, standing in front of her with a friendly smile.

"Oh," Kelly looked up at him. "I'm sorry. I'm just waiting for my room." She reached into her purse…grabbing some cash and grasping at the business card that fell to the bar in front of her.

"Just a club soda, please," she smiled as she passed some cash to the bartender.

As he turned away to prepare her drink, she turned the card over in her hand. Was it too early to call him? Did it seem too desperate? Would he know that she had been unable to get him off her mind since the moment he'd walked away?

She pulled out her cell phone and sat it in front of her. Slowly she began to dial the numbers. After all, what did she have to lose?

* * *

Ronan Malloy closed the door behind him immediately moving towards the refrigerator to find a cold beer. Sinking into the chair by the window, he took a drink, leaning his head back against the soft cushion. What was he thinking…agreeing to a date with a perfect stranger? This was the last thing he needed. He knew better—no attachments—no relationships. That was his new rule—his new motto. He couldn't afford to get involved with anyone….not with his new situation…not with everything that had happened.

The operation was supposed to be the answer. A partial liver transplant was supposed to solve all of his problems—it was supposed to fix it—it was supposed to fix everything, but it didn't. It didn't fix anything at all. He walked over to the counter, opening up the cabinets and starting at the lines of pills that started at him. Angrily he opened the bottles, pouring one bill after the other into his hand. He was sick of being dependent…dependent on pills to live…dependent on doctors to tell him what to do and when he could do it. He smiled as he took another long chug of beer. The last doctor he'd been to had reamed him about his drinking. 'You're killing yourself,' he'd said….but what they didn't know was that he already felt dead inside….the beer was just moving things along.

His mind flashed back to earlier that day. He wasn't even sure how or why it happened….it just did. It was something about her…something about the way she looked at him…as if she understood. But she couldn't, he realized, slamming the bottle down on the counter. There's no way anyone could understand what it felt like to have no one…

The familiar sound of his cell phone ringing forced his analysis of the day's events to come to an early end. Reaching into his pocket, he glanced at the screen. It was a number he didn't recognize…but in his line of work, he didn't have the luxury of screening his calls.

"Yeah," he gruffly answered, holding the phone to his ear. He wasn't in the mood to talk tonight.

* * *

Kelly felt the tension return to her shoulders. Maybe she shouldn't have called this soon after all.

"Ronan," she said hesitantly. She glanced back at the card, mentally going back through the numbers she'd dialed. She was positive they were correct.

"It's Kelly," she chirped, trying desperately to lighten the tone of what was quickly becoming an uncomfortable conversation.

* * *

He closed his eyes. Kelly. This was the last thing he wanted to do. He didn't need this tonight. He wanted to sit there and drink and feel sorry for himself and…

"Yeah, Kelly," he said, forcing himself to sound civil. "I just wasn't expecting to hear from you…"

* * *

She cringed. It was too soon. Silently cursing herself, she picked at the edges of the napkin sitting underneath her glass.

"So soon," she sighed. "I know…I know…it's soon. I'm really not desperate. Well, I mean…I'm not always this desperate." She paused for a moment taking a breath. "Ok, so I guess I'm pretty desperate. I could use someone to talk to. I just got to town and I don't know anyone except you and I know that sounds pathetic and stupid and…"

* * *

He stood there in complete disbelief both by the fact that she was capable of uttering so many words in such little time and by the fact that he was actually smiling.

He shook his head, "Kelly," he said cautiously, unsure if she'd even allow him to speak.

* * *

Kelly put her hand to her forehead. Everything in her was screaming 'Shut up' yet she kept talking.

"Yeah," she meekly whispered, afraid he was now making plans to have her involuntarily committed.

* * *

"You uh…You sound like you could use someone to talk to." Ronan sat down on the edge of the bed. He actually felt lighter. From the moment he'd heard her voice on the phone, his anger began to dissipate. Maybe she wasn't such a bad thing for him after all.

"Where are you staying?" he asked.

* * *

Kelly felt her heart beat faster.

"The uh…The Athletic Club," she said, swallowing hard. "But look, you don't have to do this because you feel sorry for me. I don't want you to do this because you feel sorry for me….like when your Mom tells you that you have to play with that kid that smells bad because no one else will…"

* * *

Ronan couldn't stop the small laugh that escaped his lips. "You…You don't smell bad," he said with a smile. "I'll pick you up at 7."

He hung up the phone without giving her a chance to respond.

* * *

"Ronan," Kelly said into the phone, realizing that he was gone. She glanced down at her watch. 5:30. She had an hour and a half to get to her room, take a shower, get dressed, and…. She nearly threw herself off the bar stool and she hurried off to the counter to retrieve her key. This was one date that she definitely did not want to be late for.


End file.
